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A couple of days ago we reported that Dell will stop selling computers with pre-installed Windows XP to get ahead of Microsoft’s June 30 deadline for the life-cycle of the said ten year old OS. As an option to its customers, Dell will be offering downgrade option from Vista to Windows XP provided that customers’ pay a $50 fee. However, Dell has since issued a announcement informing its customers that they are extending the sale of Dell computers with Windows XP until June 26 due to “popular demand.“

The option will be available with some of Dell’s models including the XPS 630, 720, H2C and M1730. So if you’re planning to get one of these systems, you have a couple of days more to do so. After June 26, Dell will push through with its original plan of selling its computers with Vista as the pre-loaded OS. Unless of course it’s alright for you to pay extra $50 dollars to have the downgrade to Windows XP option.

It looks like Dell is having a bit of a dilemma here and might be afraid that its sales might get affected by the termination of Windows XP support and user’s apprehension over the use of Microsoft Vista. The few days extension won’t have significant effect though, unless Dell goes against the tide and continues offering Windows XP in their machines or just promote the use of Vista instead.

Read [Dell] Via [Electronista]

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Following up on the earlier rumors, HP has begun to officially offer the Mini-Note 2133 with Windows XP. Although HP has commented that Windows XP will be pre-installed they are doing it by way of the free Vista downgrade option, so when the notebook arrives it should include an install disk for both XP and Vista Business.

In addition to the Windows XP offering, HP has also added a few new configurations to the Mini-Note line-up. Instead of the original four configurations to choose from there are now eight. This should sound like welcome news with more to choose from, however it makes the XP downgrade offering seem just a little on the shady side.

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